Equipment Reviews

A slight reduction in absolute resolution but so much of an improvement in so many other ways.

Size, this is much more discreet for a walk around a town. Shown here with my walk around general purpose lens.. 35mm 1.8.

Also shown here with the Sony battery grip and a RRS L-Plate although I usually drop these off for a lightweight walk around.. then reinstall for a tripod based shoot.

in body image stablisation. This is really the main reason for the purchase, handholding a 50mp camera even with steady hands introducing some softening of the image, I was finding that even with good lighting the 5DsR was giving slightly soft images handheld.. this gives razor sharp images!

Electronic View Finder . I wasn't originally that keen on an EVF vs a true optical viewfinder.. but its REALLY good! sharp and clear with an exaggeration of the focus or even 1:1 zoom in the EVF for precise focusing.

improved dynamic range. whilst not a massive issue with the 5DsR especially for landscapes where I will usually be using a tripod and ND filters, for walk around and portraits into the sun this is a real plus for me.

Cleaner high ISO image quality. this is really quite a difference, I hadn't been keen on anything above iso400 with the Canon, but the Sony seems very usable at iso1000.

Other positives.
Build quality feels really good, perhaps not better than the canon but certainly equal.
Quick settings on the dial.. this is great for me as I have '1' set for landscapes off a tripod. '2' configured for general walkaround and '3' for portraits. Obviously some tweaking is required each time, but its much quicker than adjusting every setting.
Configurability of the camera and buttons... simply you can adjust everything!
I have opted for :
C3 - Iso setting.
AF on - 100% focus zoom
AEL - Eye autofocus
C2 - focus mode
C1 - Focus point move

Minor negatives.
none that I've found yet !!

Sony 24mm f1.4 G-Master

My wide angle landscape lens.. even when I've had wider zoom lenses I've never actually had a keeper photo at a focal length wider than 24mm so why not have a prime that is awesome at that focal length and save weight at the same time!

This lens is sharp with almost no distortion.. it doesn't 'feel' quality like a Canon L Lens does but it's optically better and weighs virtually nothing.

As always, fitted with B+W UV Nano filter.

Sony 35mm f1.8

My walk around lens... this is tiny and super lightweight whilst still having awesome image quality.
The f1.8 is plenty of subject isolation at this 35mm focal length and the close focussing is really useable for details or food photography.

As always, fitted with a B+W filter but this time a Kaessman circa polariser lives on there. I selected the 35mm for the polariser as I do use it quite a bit for landscapes and 35mm isn't too wide that the polariser creates banding in a sky.

Sony 85mm 1.4 G-Master

My portrait lens.. such a gorgeous focal length for portraits, much better than my previous 50mm.
Whilst the lens doesn't have the creamy dreamlike feel of a Canon 85 f1.2 its MUCH sharper and the bokeh that is there is perfect in terms of circular highlights.

I guess ideally you might have both lenses, but given the choice of just one it would be this one every time!

Sony 90mm f2.8 Macro G

The weird old school looking sony macro lens. but what can I say, its awesome... with OSS on lens and IBS in the camera you are able to handhold at 1:1 at reasonable ISO's and get SHARP images.

This makes it soooooo useable. also a great portrait lens if you are after absolute detail.

Sony 200-600 f5.6/6.3 G

My wildlife lens.

It's not f4 at the long end and its certainly not 1.8 at the short end like my old Canon :(

but what it is is so completely useable! it's sharp throughout and it't lightweight and compact size mean its something I'll take out with me quite happily on the off chance I want to shoot wildlife.

in good light the lens is epic! with the image stabilisation allowing pin sharp handheld at 600mm minimum focusing distance.

in moderate light the iso needs to drive a bit higher, but the Electronic viewfinder makes the system usable because you still get a bright image to help focus.

does the background fall away in the same way at the f4 would.. not really, but with a little more care in subject from background distance its not bad at all..

LensBaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 optic.

A strange little lens... like a circular tilt shift is how I'd describe it.

Never really enjoyed using a lens baby on my canon... but with the focus peaking on the Sony body this is so usable! also having the option for 100% viewfinder zoom allows for precise focusing each time.

definately a keeper.

Sony A7Riii

Final comments on the Sigma MC11 adaptor.
This allows me to use all my existing glass with the new sony.. I was pretty wary of this and spent quite a while in store trying the Sigma and metabones mkV out.
The sigma simply performed better for still images, the metabones would hunt back and forth the sigma simply locks on. Eye AF also works absolutely fine with all my lenses.

After shooting with a 1Dk3 for quite some time, I found I never use burst mode even for birds in flight as I prefer to simply time a single shot and see what is going on.
So given the burst rate was of no interest my major priority was improved image quality and resolution. I had previously been unable to print some images as large as I would have desired due to the lower resolution.
50mp full frame no longer has that issue!!
The camera has been great, a lovely bright viewfinder, a great menu system feels robust without being too heavy. The ability to limit shutter speed and iso range for auto iso is great (I'll take credit I suggested it to Canon a few years ago!)
Its fitted with a battery grip and RRS L Plate that is really solid and clamps both battery grip and body together into a single unit.

things that aren't so great..
- the resolution is so high it makes shooting handheld a challenge in all but the best light.
- the battery life is terrible.. the 1Dmk3 could live on a single battery for a few days of shooting at least, but now I always charge both batteries every evening if away and shooting.
- the focus screen cannot be changed. I would have like to put in a precision focussing screen to aid in getting focus but I guess with the move to live view Canon don't feel focus screens are so necessary.

Canon 16-35 F4.0L IS

This is an odd lens for me... it was purchased as a flexible and lightweight lens for landscapes. The IS is nice as I may not always have the most solid tripod or support and the 77mm front thread was very appealing as all my filters are 77mm and I have a large selection of ND's and ND grads etc.

Images are sharp and well saturated, but i find I never shoot wider than 24mm and 90% of the time will be at the 35mm limit.

I also find that for landscapes I sometimes want greater control over the focal plane thru a tilt lens.

Canon 24 TS-E f3.5L

Ahh the beast! this really is a gorgeous lens.
Ultra sharp and delivers shots that no amount of post processing will ever achieve.
Its perhaps a little wide for me much of the time, but it accepts the 1.4x TC with no discernible reduction in IQ so its actually a pretty flexible lens.
I don't often use the shift feature to be honest, maybe a little here or there, but it's easily done in post processing instead.

I may drop the 16-35 and just use this for landscapes instead, but i would need to purchase a whole new set of 82mm grad filters!!

Canon 50 f1.2L

The lens that lives on the camera 80% of the time. Such a versatile lens, not ultra sharp but certainly not what you would call soft.
but that versatile focal length combined with delicious bokeh is really what makes this a lens to keep returning to.
It also takes an extension tube with great effect to become a pretty usable pseudo macro lens.

you will note all my lenses have UV or clear filters on the front. This is partially to protect the front element, but more because I use screw in filters a lot so the thread being used is a filter not the lens itself. I'm in the process of upgrading all my filters to the B&W UV MRC Nano as they are simply the easiest to clean and seem resistant to dust.

Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 Optic

One of my favourite lenses! this edge 80 optic is a simple pure flat plane optic so if the lens baby is centred you will be able to shoot like its a normal lens, no soft edges etc. but if you tilt the body then the focal plane flips like a tilt shift lens.
The image quality is pretty good but it does need a UV filter on it.
it also has an in built macro mode which works really well. Unfortunately whilst the lens rear element is deep enough to take teleconverters or the extension tube, because there is no electrical interface the camera won't take the shot. I guess i could tape over the TC contacts, but there must be a better way!

Hopefully Lensbaby will release a 24 or 35mm version of the edge optic as this would allow me to replace my heavy but gorgeous 24 TSE with something far more convenient.

Canon 135 f2.0L

My newest addition! The fabled 135 f2.0L has been on my wish list for quite some time.
I actually sold my 180 f3.5L Macro to fund this lens. My logic is that if I'm travelling light I can simply take the 50mm and this 135mm to cover most things. both have amazing IQ and fast maximum apertures for isolating subjects. the 135 has the other benefit of accepting TC's and extension tubes so for just a small increase in carried equipment I would have..

both the 50 1.2L and this 135 f2.0L take a 72mm filter and the same hood can be used on both (though its not quite perfect on the 50mm) this means I can simply swap lens caps and filters across when I want to change focal length.

did I mention... this is sharp!!!!! noticeably sharp. I would put it up with the 24 TSE and the 200 f1.8 from my collection.

Canon 200 f1.8L

My little cannon! such a versatile lens (even if it is huge and weighs a ton!).

A beautiful portrait lens and has been my go to for this purpose until purchasing the 135mm. I suspect the 200 will still get plenty of use though when I'm feeling like a workout!
Its so fast, and so sharp it takes TC's without hesitation.

280mm f2.5 with a 1.4x TC
400mm f3.5 with a 2.0x TC
560mm f4.5 with stacked 1.4x and 2.0x TC's

i must admit autofocus hunts a little with the stacked TC's but IQ is still pretty useable and it's such a flexible spread of focal range I sold the 600mm f4.0

Its fitted with a Really Right Stuff footplate so that the hood can be inverted and left on the lens for storage.

only downside I have found is the minimum focussing distance is rubbish at 2.5m.

Canon 400mm f2.8L mkii

A beast of a lens... incredibly sharp wide open and takes a 1.4tc really well with a little micro adjustment.
It's REALLY heavy but let's be honest this isn't a lens to be handholding anyway... balances pretty well on my monopod, but I'm tempted to get a kirk or RRS foot for it I can find one as it will be that bit more secure.

Canon 1.4x Teleconverter mk2

A really great little addition to the bag/pocket.

works with four of my lenses (shame it won't work with the 50mm f1.2!!)

no discernible reduction in IQ and so small and light its easy to justify taking with you.

The only issue I have had with these is the front cap interface doesn't seem great, its not often you put a cap on the camera body so its not something you notice, but with all the TC's and extension tubes the front cap is always loose. Note canon supply 2 different depths of front cap for the TC's so i bought a second deep one to use on both. otherwise you always have the wrong one!

Canon 2.0x Teleconverter mk2

A useful addition but one that I use with caution. really this only sees service on the 200 f1.8L which has a surplus of aperture and IQ to tolerate the degradation this brings.
I've actually got a pretty sharp copy but its definitely not in the same league as the 1.4x TC.

Lensbaby Macro extensions

Unfortunately regular extension tubes won't work with the lens baby as the contacts need to think there is either no lens at all, or an extension tube and lens. they are pretty simple bits of kit though and really make a difference to the edge 80 optic. A really good bit of kit.

the only downside is the smaller 8mm unit is so shallow its quite difficult to remove from the lens. not impossible though and its never done in a rush anyway.

Canon EF25 Extension Tube

A great addition to my little collection of lenses and gear. Bought to compliment the 135mm f2.0L but also works with great effect on the 50mm f1.2L also! A simple bit of kit, but really worth having in the bag.

I will probably purchase a cheap dumb non canon extension tube to use with the lensbaby and 80mm edge optic. the combination of small size, macro and tilt would make for a very useable bit of kit.

Filters (Formatt and B&W)

My filters... at least the ones i can find.. filters are like lens caps they just seem to disappear!

I have a selection of Formatt filters all 77mm in varying ND grads, ranging from 0.3 to 1.2 stops and soft edge, hard edge, 30% 50% etc.
I also have a couple of the solid ND filters in 10 stop and even a 40 stop version.
I do use circular polarisers sometimes, but not so often.

I have just ordered a sensei brass 72-77mm step up ring so i can use these on the 50mm and 135mm lenses also.

all my lenses have B&W UV MRC nano filters on them to protect them and have a bit more resilience to moisture.

Lowe Pro Filter case

A really useful case. holds six 77mm filters in a padded case. I have two which covers all my filter needs.

Canon WFT-E7 B (Version 2)

A wifi transmitter/receiver for the 5DSr. I purchased this with two intentions, one was to enable use of the Helicon Remote software for automated focus bracketing and the other would be to setup the camera at a distance for wildlife shooting then do remote triggering and focusing.

After much frustration with IP syncing I finally got the unit working with the camera and my iPhone/iPad/Macbook Pro.
Unfortunately the wifi kept dropping out after each few shutter releases or every 5 mins.
even when it was working the helicon remote software didn't work as cleanly as hoped either.. so I've returned it for a refund. Note : i only paid 200 for this and it still wasn't worth keeping.

Canon 580 EXii & TTL Pocket Wizards

A nice powerful flash unit.. I don't often use active lighting but on a few occasions a little extra kick is needed and this does the job..

Either connected through the cable or the pocket wizards..

It's a shame the flash unit doesn't use a rechargeable battery like that from a camera.

Import from camera to folder 'Lightroom Images in an appropriate sub folder'

Adobe DNG converter. an annoyance but a necessary evil to avoid having to pay a monthly adobe fee.. simply converts the Canon raw files into a DNG format, I then delete the original Raw files immediately to prevent duplication.

Adobe Lightroom 5
My main photo sorting and processing software..
I don't take a huge quantity of images so I use lightroom to review the images and 'delete from disk' those which I'm not going to take forward for processing, The compare feature is really good when you are checking the focus or sharpness between two similar images, like a portrait checking the eyes.
It's quick and great for the bulk of processing and retouching.
The selective zone for light balancing is really quick and intuitive, the spot healing tool also works well.
The lens / perspective correction works well but its always wroth trying the different options as auto can be a little too aggressive at times.
The only issue I have with it is the inability to import 5DSr Raw files, you ned to run the files through Adobe DNG converter first.
If I'm going to do more detailed colour correction work then I tend to drop into one of the Nik plug-ins

Color Efex Pro 4
This is a great tool, allows quite subtle colour adjustments either selectively or globally.

Silver Efex Pro 2
A great tool for black and white conversions. Most of the presets are too aggressive for my liking but it's possible to tailor and save your own more subtle presets.

Once processed I save into a 'processed not tailored' folder as a 16bit ProPhoto Tiff file. (huge files unfortunately around 300Mb)

From this point i decide whether the image will be for print or for the website.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 13
Is used for the website processing by adding a border and copyright watermark before export as a sRGB JPEG with low sharpening.

for prints I use the Nik Sharpener Pro 3 plug in and add a little more sharpening before exporting as Adobe RGB (1998) JPEG.

Helicon Focus Pro.
This is an awesome little bit of software... it enables the stitching of multiple images with different focus points to increase the depth of field achievable (as used for many of the equipment review images).

Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod

Possibly a little bit of overkill of many of the shots I take, but I wouldn't consider using anything else.
It's not that heavy, I can certainly live with the weight for the ease of use and the stability it offers.

I have been looking at 'travel tripods' but for the weight saving of 1-1.5kg I would rather have the ease and confidence this brings me.
It's a tank of a tripod.

the only downside is the leg locks rotate so you can sometimes undo a leg section when you want to tighten another. Shame Gitzo don't offer an upgrade for old tripods.

Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead

The beast of a ballhead... this is just right!
it requires no maintenance other than a rinse under the tap when its really grubby. the huge knob enables easy use in the cold wearing gloves etc.
the lens/body mounting is quick release and whilst I was initially nervous about it becoming undone, its been faultless and I actually have more confidence in the lever than I would in a screw clamp solution.

Gitzo 5541 monopod

My 'little' monopod ! haha this thing is a monster. but actually not that heavy (all things are relative I guess).

the top section with the foam padding is almost too big for my hands to take a comfortable grip, but if you are after a solid and tall monopod this should be top of your list.

After trying the big foot and various monopod feet with folding legs I have decided to try and fit my little manfroto to the bottom of this. It will require a longer thread on the manfrotto but I'm getting that machined up and I should then have a pretty stable lightweight solution. I'm also thinking I will affix guy lines to the top of the monopod under the mouting plate so I can guy the pod out like a mast or a ultra light tripod in an emergency.

Lightweight support kit

well I now have the modified mini tripod that fits the monopod (and still fits the other heads direct).
Its actually a really stable little setup.
fully retracted it takes minimal thought or time to stabilise, with the first extension it becomes a nice low chest height requiring a little while to stabilise and remote shutter or 10sec delay. At higher extensions it needs additional support from either a person, or maybe guying on softer ground.

My monopod head, again RRS with a lever release. they just make such nice kit! insanely expensive but well thought out and engineered.

this is shown sitting on my manfroto table top tripod. This was I admit a surprise. I bought it in an emergency as I needed a tripod in NYC and didn't want to spend a lot. but this is absolutely rock solid! there are no clips or catches simply three metal legs that hinge against a solid metal plate. Great stuff and with this little MH02 its almost pocket size.

Peak designs camera strap

Hmmm.. when will I find a strap i really like.

not quite yet. this is perhaps the closest I've come, but there are a few oddities.
Its would be logical that the buckles would be on the outside of the strap, but that puts the grippy side of the strap also on the outside so the strap slides off your shoulder. I have bodged it by twisting the strap over, but that prevents the quick changing of length.
the flip over silver pieces on the buckles also don't actually do anything.. I had assumed they were some kind of grip or cam release that would lock the strap in place at set length.. but they don't they are simple for show which is a shame.

but i do like the attachment mechanism to the camera. you get little discs on loops that fit to the camera or lens and these discs are slotted into the sprung catches on the strap.
I tend to have the strap attached to the two side points on the camera so I can have the camera in my hand by my side.

Think Tank belt pouches

part of a set with a harness, but since the increase of terror attacks in cities around the world I no longer feel brave enough to walk around with a harness and bunch of bulging pouches around my waist. shame really as they were great and comfortable.
but i still use one on my regular belt if I'm travelling light. 1.4x TC or 25mm extension tube in the bottom then either 135mm or 50mm with the other on the camera.

Gura Gear shoulder bag

A good bag... but not great.

My hopes were high after owning the Kiboko from the same company, but this really doesn't have the same level of thought or detail in it.
features on the Kiboko like the tubular handles or the loop zip pulls are missing from this bag..

The material and build quality remains top notch though. and the layout works well for my kit with the rear taking a 15" macbook pro. whilst the central compartment will take any of my lenses including the 200 f1.8L !
typically though it will have the 24 TSE, 50 1.2L, lens baby with 80mm, 135mm attached to the body.. then there is space left for the extension tube and 1.4x TC.
In the front pocket I will have a set of filters in the smaller pocket and my amazing Bose noise cancelling headphones in the main compartment.

Gura Gear Kiboko Rucksac

A GREAT bag! an absolute monster as I always fill it, but it can either take all my camera gear, with tripod on the outside or...
half fill with camera gear and then use the other half for camping gear and a few clothes for a nights wild camping,
the harness is pretty good considering its got no framing.
this really is an exceptionally well designed bag and tough as nails too!

Think Tank Retrospective 10

My newest camera bag. Whilst I have stopped utilising camera bags for the most part choosing instead a simple pouch on my belt for an additional lens, there are times when I want to carry maybe a few lenses and also have the ability to hide the camera away during a meal for example. So this bag is my hope for that purpose..
Thus far it seems excellent.. Its wonderfully subtle and casual looking, its large enough to take decent lenses whilst stopping me from ever making it to heavy to carry. the strap is supper comfortable and grippy on your shoulder. In terms of what it will take... thus far I have been having the main compartment split into three.. 80mm lens baby edge in the one side with macro adaptors, the camera body with 50mm attached in the centre and the 135mm in the third section. Any of these lenses could be on the camera but the 50mm is the most frequently used for myself.
The central section incorporates nice supporting pads to keep the body at the top of the bag for easy access and quick use.
There is then a wide front pocket big enough for an iPad.
there are a few other pockets and zipped areas, but other than keeping a spare lens cap and cleaning cloth I try to travel pretty light with this.

National Geographic Medium shoulder bag

A good lightweight shoulder bag... it was ideal for my early and lighter equipment and would easily and comfortably carry my 30D with a 24-105 and maybe a 70-200 also with room left over for other assorted bits and bobs.. but with the lightweight came the compromise, there is virtually no padding in this bag and the bag flops around and falls onto its back and front when placed on the ground. I used to keep a kneeling pad in the rear pocket to stop my hip from getting bruised as I walked along.
I like the bag, but the design is a bit too fussy with too many buckles and features for my liking.

The main compartment is accessed via a zip, and because of the floppy nature of the bag, the zip often proved to be a two handed affair as the material would bunch rather than the zip move.

Lowe Pro Magnum AW

A lump of a camera bag.. hefty thick cordura material and padded everywhere. This bag offers great protection for your kit, but then it does weigh quite a bit even empty.
Space wise it offers two pockets, a large central area big enough for a pro body with 70-200 attached or a 200 1.8 plus a couple of other smaller lenses. the front pocket is also pretty big for filters and cable release triggers etc.

The major issue is that it just looks so much 'camera bag' it attracts attention and invites thieving fingers..

Pelicases (1510 & 1150)

Solid transit for expensive gear... but they are heavy and really eat into your weight allowance so I tend not to travel with these much on airlines.

Keencut - Ultimat Futura

A mount cutter for picture framing. Short of the computerised CNC options this is the best you can get..
I had a Keencut Laser mount cutter before which holds the same basic architecture of a lifting horisontal, a vertical square and a sliding cutter that cuts the bevel.

The differences are all the little niggles with the laser have been addressed and this just works faultlessly every time!.
The laser would require periodic adjustment of the vertical element to ensure it was square to the horisontal cutting beam. it would require careful calibration of the over an undercut with every blade change or change of mount board thickness. The major issue though was that the laser had a tendency to bend the blade slightly at the start of each cut and as a result the finished mount was never quite as sharp and precise as you would hope.
So, I now have this unit and I have to say it thus far has proved perfect.. the vertical arm has no adjustment, but simply hooks in place and is totally square every time. The cutting head is on bearings for an effortless smooth cut.
the blades are in a magnetic cartridge for quick and perfect blade changes without the need for recalibration. there are multiple cartridges so you can have a set for each mount board thickness.
there is a vertical cutter which my old laser never had, so I'm able to trim down the outer dimensions of the board and ensure they are perfectly square every time.
Overall I love it !! I have gone for the slightly larger 48" option which will take whole A0 boards in a single cut which makes it easier also.

Morso F Moulding Guillotine

The ultimate home picture framing setup.. it's a bit of a beast of cast iron and 3m wide.. but what a lovely tool to use. it creates perfectly square and precise mitres every time, it creates minimal waste and no dust unlike the previous setup I had of a logan mitre saw and hand guillotine.
a really great purchase that will last me forever... i just need to find a house big enough to find it a home now! :)

A 3/4 man ;) single skin tent... basically a luxury bivy, but it's remarkably good in severe weather now its got a few extra guying points sown in place.
I've tried bivy bags and just don't manage to sleep in them for the thought a bear is going to come in the night and eat my face.. but inside a tent I'm fine :)
Ventilation is the weakness of this tent though... it has vents at the bottom ends and at the top, the issue is that once you put a sleeping mat and bag in the tent the lower vents are effectively blocked so its not ideal. it would also be good if there were some option for mesh on the door so you could open it up in the summer, I might make that modification at some point.
Being single skin it also gets hot in summer and cold in winter.
It packs down really small and only weighs less than a kilo so it's a keeper but doesn't see much use.

My new one man four season tent.
This was purchased to replace the Terra Nova Solar Ultra 2 below..

It's only had a single night on the hills so far, just off the summit of Corn Du in the Brecon Beacons in December. but it was a windy night and it performed great!.. easy to pitch all in one.. peg out one end first with two pegs (I'm using MSR Mini Groundhogs). Then install the red pole but leave the tent unclipped. Peg out the other end. Lie on top of the tent and make sure it's flat enough. Then install the blue pole and peg into place. Clip the outer to the red pole... guy it out and that it done.
Mine has the groundsheet also which is a great addition..

I will be adding a sierra designs grip clip to the centre of each panel to allow guying out of the panels centres also. but the tent really was very quiet even without these.

space wise, the tent is a comfortable true one man tent. my pack, cooker and boots sit in the porch whilst my mattress, sleeping bag and camera gear come in the inner with me. It is tall enough for me to sit up.

Disappointments with the tent.. only a few.
The tent is rated as four season, but comes with a part 1/3 mesh door on the inner.. it would have been nice to have the choice with a double door arrangement.
As true with all terra nova tents I've pitched, they seem to be designed for perfectly flat pitches, the peg loops just aren't long enough to accommodate uneven terrain, so i loop an extra cord through them to extend them.
The only other minor frustration is the lack of a gear loft inclusion.. there are attachment points, but no gear loft itself and given the strange shape it will probably be necessary to make one myself, surely a scrap of material with a few cords wouldn't break the budget..

Note since I have the groundsheet with this, it does make the tent almost impossible to squeeze into the original bag.. with cold wet hands it's a frustrating affair.. so I use a sea to summit compression bag.. it also gives some straps to attach to where the original bag is literally a tub so nothing to hook onto.

I was nervous buying another Terra Nova tent after my experience with the Solar Ultra, but whilst the quality isn't up with the Hilleberg, I've been really impressed with the Southern Cross it seems like a very good balance of performance, quality and cost.

A bit of a disappointment this.. I opted for this to try and reduce my pack size and weight... the design is semi freestanding with nice clean lines and decent end to end ventilation. I was always aware that the pitch inner first would be an annoyance for me but the insane light weight seemed like an acceptable trade.

Good points, the tent really is crazy lightweight. and packs down small, particularly if you split the poles and fabric. The space is really spacious for one man and lots of kit and the end porch gives a better place to cook I always think than a side porch. The door configurations allow plenty of configurations to provide shelter from changing wind direction.

The negatives.. well it's a sod to pitch. the inner goes up in seconds.. but to try and align the outer is nearly impossible even in the garden on the middle a summers day.. pitching in the wind and rain in falling light and I never managed to get a square tight pitch. The outer always felts just too small for the inner. I think the Cuban fiber fabric is the issue here, it just doesn't have any elasticity or give to it.
The other issue was one of durability. On my third ever proper pitch (i.e. not in the lounge or garden) I was up in the Scottish highlands wild camping and the outer fly tore in two places along the weld seams. I hadn't caught it on anything and was simply pegging it out in a moderate breeze. I ended up sleeping exposed in just my Crux torpedo sleeping bag for the remaining two nights.
Terra Nova did manage to effect a good repair and reinforcement on the tent for 45ukp but on a 1300ukp tent I had expected more and felt this was always a design/manufacturing issue more than reasonable wear and tear.
The other issue was the light.. with a virtually clear outer (which does look very cool) it does mean that sleeping with an eye mask is essential as the sun comes straight through in the morning.

It's now found itself a new home with a new owner who will hopefully have better luck with it than myself.

Ahhh my wonderful Allak.. This really is a great tent so well thought out and functional in every way.

The good points.. this is the easiest tent to pitch in any weather.. a bit like the Southern cross in high winds I tent to peg out two points into the wind to stop the tent flying away. I then lay on top of the tent and confirm the pitch is reasonably flat. Then I extend all the poles (each pole is identical and can be interchanged with really helps in the dark or foul weather!) and lay them roughly across the tent. then I install the two poles from the pegged locations to opposite ends. the poles fit into short reinforced sleeves at either end. once these poles are in I peg out the other end of the tent so I have four pegs in place and have squared the tent up. I then install the final pole and peg that out. The tent is then clipped onto the poles working from the bottom upwards. then guyed out with the guy lines wrapping around the poles themselves.

Note - apparently the red pole positions should be the upper pole.. I can't say I've ever paid any attention but I will try this next time and see it results in a tighter pitch.. but its certainly tolerant to ignoring this aspect.

the tent itself has two entrances and two porches. the inner is plenty big enough for two persons and kit. It has multiple pockets and great doors on either side that allow solid or vented. the solid is on the inside so you can open for airflow without letting midges in!

Ventilation wise this tent really is exceptional. it has a proper venting system on the roof which is covered by a shield to prevent rainfall entering. you can open the outer doors from top or bottom to increase airflow but I've never found the need.

This is the red label product in the Hilleberg range, the Staika being the heavy duty black label brother.. so it's a bit lighter but still 4 season and capable of a decent amount of snow loading.
If you really want you can double pole the tent out also although I'm not sure how to do the clips in this instance..

In terms of negatives I really can't think of any other than once again even at this price point you have to buy a gear loft separately which is ridiculous.

I do use an Alpkit dry bag with this instead of the original bag.. the original bag was ok, not too tight but the alpkit dry bag is so much more versatile and durable it'll protect the tent better.

My expedition basecamp tent! it's a monster... 3 person, 5 Season i.e. designed for really severe conditions. The poles on this are 14mm! and the internal vestibule has an 8" deep bathtub floor to protect from the elements.

As with my other tents, the key feature is the double skin tent with an external frame. This allows the tent to be put up in one without the tent interior being exposed to the elements.
Other features are fantastic venting, almost vertical sides so you don't rub your face against the walls while you sleep. A built in gear loft (included with the tent, take note Hilleberg and Terra Nova!), lots of pockets and a flyscreen on the outside of the door. This means you can open the door for a bit of extra ventilation without letting the mosquitoes in... Brilliant!
Ventilation is pretty good with a variety of vents, but not quite in the same league as the Hilleberg.

The negative is that this is a bit of a beast to carry.. pack is really quite large and weighty.. but it does make for a very comfortable home.

the other downside is that the bungee clip system whilst being simple and very effective (very quite in extreme winds). does tend to catch on clips as you are pitching the tent so you can get in a bit of a tangle. It also hurts like hell if the bungee flicks back on your cold fingers!

my uber air mattress.. this is an essential bit of camping gear!!
It's quite thick about 3" so it's really comfy, it's grippy so it doesn't slide all around the tent.. and its warm! really warm... the Xtherm has layers of reflective foil inside to return your body heat and prevent it soaking into the ground, it works remarkably well and you can really feel it when you lay on it.

I did consider and trial the Exped Down Mat too, whilst the exped is a bit thicker i found the X Therm a little more comfortable and the cascade design warrantee is faultless.